Love & Luck

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.

So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

Hi Jenna!! We are so happy to welcome you to the FFBC!! This tour was SO popular— it seems like everyone wants to read your new book!! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us.

Hooray! Thank you so much for featuring my book on your blogs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Favorite Book?

I love answering this question because it’s pretty rare for me to run into someone who’s already read it, and I always feel like I’ve offered them an incredible gift! The book is A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, by Michael Dorris and it’s been my favorite book since I was 17. The story is told from three perspectives, a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter and even though the events overlap, their takes on what is happening are all completely different. (Aren’t people fascinating?) I love stories about family dynamics and the ending of this book gives me goosebumps every time. I reread it every few years.

As far as YA books, I really love Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande—it was the first YA book I ever read that made me think, Maybe I could do this one day. Also, Sara Zarr’s Story of A Girl.

Favorite TV show?

Currently…the Great British Baking Show (ha!). When you describe the show to someone (happy people baking in a tent in the English countryside) it comes across as incredibly boring, but I think that may be a sign of the times for me—motherhood/writerhood carries plenty of drama, so after a long day I just want to watch something sugary/happy that makes me feel good!

Favorite movie?

I really love old movies, and my favorite is Some Like It Hot starring Marilyn Monroe. I’ve also watched Dirty Dancing more times than anyone really should.

Your Favorite Song?

I’m one of those weirdos who finds a song they love and then listens to it on repeat for months. Right now I’m stuck on Ed Sheeran’s Castle on the Hill, I listened to it a lot while writing Love & Luck.

Favorite Food?

I really, really love Italian food (particularly my Italian grandfather’s recipe for spaghetti and meatballs). I’m also always up for a good burger and fries.

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Gatsby’s mansion (during party season, of course)

Pemberly (Hello, Mr. Darcy!)

Wonderland (I’ve had a fascination with it since I was very young)

What were your favorite books when you were growing up?

I don’t think I can answer that well because I just really, really loved books and all but devoured them whole. The Little House on the Prairie series was my gateway drug, and after that I read about a thousand Goosebumps novels, The Boxcar Children series, the Ramona Quimby series, and everything by Roald Dahl. From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was a special favorite, and I read Gone With the Wind until my copy fell apart.

Favorite Quote?

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. –Mark Twain.

You know that question people always ask “If you could invite anyone over for dinner, living or dead, who would it be?” Mark Twain is a strong contender for me.

What do you find yourself “Fangirling” over?

It’s always authors. When I go to book festivals and other author events I have to constantly remind myself that I am also an author and to not freak out when I see the likes of Stephanie Perkins or Becky Albertalli. It’s really difficult.

What recent book would you recommend to our YA fans?

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi. Not only is she delightful and funny, but I just started it and absolutely love the characters.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about LOVE & LUCK?

Of course! When I finished my first book LOVE & GELATO I knew two things: my next book would be about a small character from that first book (Lina’s best friend Addie), and that it would be a road trip story. From there, the rest took its time coming to me.

As far as a quick synopsis, LOVE & LUCK is about a 16-year-old girl named Addie who is in Ireland for her aunt’s destination wedding and is carrying a very big secret—she’s made a choice that has not only left her heartbroken, but now has her completely at odds with her brother/best friend Ian. After getting into a mid-wedding fist fight (eek!) their mother presents with an ultimatum—start getting along or say goodbye to playing sports back home. And then there’s a twist—Ian’s been harboring a secret of his own and the two of them end up on a road trip across Ireland with Ian’s cute Irish friend, Rowan, Addie’s heartache tagging right along with them.

Can you tell us a little bit about Addie?? What are her faves, what would she wear to class, etc?

This will probably sound strange, but I am really, really crazy about Addie. She is impulsive, fiercely loyal, persistent and loves with her whole heart—all traits that have managed to get her into trouble. She loves cars, her brothers, sports, her trusty Converse and is up for an adventure.

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

Addie’s character was already waiting for me, but as far as the story, the original idea came from an old, broken down VW I kept seeing on a route I drive regularly. Every time I passed it I thought, there’s a story in there. Then one day I had this thought: If I was 16 years old, and my parents didn’t know where I was, I had no supervision, and I could go anywhere, where would I go? Love & Luck was my answer to that.

Tell us your favorite quote from LOVE & LUCK.

My favorite quote would spoil the story, so I’ll choose another one! One of the fun challenges of Love & Luck was writing a book within a book—throughout the trip Addie and Rowan follow along with a guidebook that Addie finds early on in the novel. This is quote is from one of the entries:

What are 3 cool things people who aren’t familiar with Ireland should know about it?

The people really are musical, friendly and fun loving. Of course this is a generality, but both times I’ve been to Ireland I’ve been struck by the kindness and overall cheeriness of the people I’ve met along the way.

It’s call the Emerald Isle for a reason—you haven’t seen green until you’ve been to Ireland, there are shades of it I haven’t seen anywhere else!

Irish roads (particularly along the Wild Atlantic Way) are narrow, twisty overgrown, and terrifying. In LOVE & LUCK there’s a scene about Addie’s mother driving based entirely on my misadventures on Irish roads.

What 3 hashtags would you most associate with your book? (Could be a word or phrase or anything that would instantly make you think of LOVE & LUCK.)

#heartache #family #adventure

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for LOVE & LUCK – Which one would you pick?

I mentioned it earlier, but probably Ed Sheeran’s Castle on the Hill. It carries the same sense of motion and nostalgia, and is about how the people you grow up with shape you. I listened to it whenever I was having a hard time getting into my writing!

Are there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read LOVE & LUCK (specific music, snacks…)?

This is a fun question! How about your favorite road trip junk food, a snuggly blanket, and a rainy day? (Sunny will work too, but we all know rainy days are for reading…)

What’s next for you?

I have a new book slowly making its way onto paper, but no announcements yet!

Thank you so much!! We are SO excited about your new book!!

Thank you for the great questions!

Jenna Evans Welch was the kind of insatiable child reader who had no choice but to grow up to become a writer. She is the New York Times Bestselling author of LOVE & GELATO and the upcoming LOVE & LUCK.When she isn’t writing girl abroad stories, Jenna can be found chasing her children or making elaborate messes in the kitchen. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and two young children.

SOMEDAY I MUST READ Jenna's books. They look and sound so cute, and with the release of this new novel, I'm reminded again how much I really want to read her Love and Gelato novel. Maybe this summer! :)